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Wild At Harvard: The Brattle goes all in on ‘The Art Life’ of David Lynch

One of the most exciting series in recent television history, the Showtime-produced continuation of David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks, will hit the airwaves in two weeks. To help you get back in the Lynchian scheme of things, The Brattle’s showing a new documentary about the foremost name associated with that series, titled David Lynch: The Art Life. Accompanying that premiere, which runs Friday (May 12) to Wednesday (May 17), they’re also showing a number of his films on the big screen that you won’t want to miss on the big screen and throwing a big-ass Twin Peaks party.

The Art Life screened at South By Southwest this year, but we weren’t able to work out a time to see it with everything else that was showing. Lynch is a member of the Brattle’s advisory council (or at least we think it’s actually him, but we know there probably are other David Lynches in the world), and it’s pretty cool to see him be honored with a doc at that theater. We’ve heard that it’s pretty damn good, too. Hit the synopsis, taken from the Brattle’s listing, after you peep the preview.

“’David Lynch: The Art Life’ looks at Lynch’s art, music, and early films, shining a light into the dark corners of his unique world and giving audiences a better understanding of the man and the artist. As he says, ‘I think every time you do something, like a painting or whatever, you go with ideas, and sometimes the past can conjure those ideas and color them. Even if they’re new ideas, the past colors them.’ We’re invited in and given private views from Lynch’s compound and painting studio in the hills high above Hollywood, as he tells personal stories that unfold like scenes from his films. Strange characters come into focus only to fade again into the past, all leaving an indelible mark.’

Along with the doc, they’ll be showing two classic Lynch films, Eraserhead (the Friday showing features a compilation of his early short films), and Mulholland Drive, a film that was originally planned to be a television show in a similar vein to Twin Peaks itself. They’ll also be screening the bizarre gem Dreams That Money Can Buy on 16mm film on Sunday night (May 14), which is a surrealist masterpiece from 1947 that features contributions from artists like Man Ray, Max Ernst, and Marcel Duchamp.

Those who are more traditional Twin Peaks fans will undoubtedly be stoked for their Twin Peaks Social on Wednesday (May 17), a gathering of fans where there’ll be pie, coffee and doughnuts, and a recap of all thirty episodes to get you prepped for the new season. If you come in costume, you’ll win a special prize, so sayeth the people at The Brattle.

Have we mentioned how excited we are for this new season? Especially since the early word is that it’s like an 18-hour version of Fire Walk With Me, which is a great movie and we are totally willing to go ten rounds with you if you doubt the greatness of this David Bowie cameo.

“DAVID LYNCH: THE ART LIFE” :: Friday, May 12 to Wednesday, May 17 at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St. in Cambridge, MA :: $12.27, all ages :: Various times, see Brattle calendar for tickets and more details